After 10 years, Reactor Design Studio's new digs prepare it for growth spurt

As Reactor Design Studio celebrates its 10th birthday, it's making strategic moves to put itself in a position to grow.

The four-person marketing firm has doubled in size since moving into the Crossroads Arts District earlier this year. Now, the firm is hard to miss.

The bright building at 1817 Grand Blvd. was designed to be loud. Since moving into the district rampant with creative industries from tech startups to art galleries, Reactor Design's boosted visibility already has garnered a number of clients. That's one facet it's relying on to help it grow.

The firm came from a 600-square-foot location in Midtown to a 3,600-square-foot space. The extra room is allowing it space to add employees, but it's also setting aside a gallery space where it will bring in local artists and host shows during First Fridays. Its downstairs space will allow it to host conferences or events for outside companies.

"My goal was to always have a gallery in the Crossroads," Owner Clifton Alexander said. "It gives us a different level of space to work in. It's an added bit of inspiration to have in our office."

Alexander said that during a time when many agencies are flocking to the digital sphere, Reactor continues cementing its niche in the market. Although it's active in the digital sphere, doing branding for mobile apps and creating websites, Alexander said that marketing can't rely solely on emails and Web banners; there's still a lingering need for people to experience an uninterrupted form of tactile information.

"What we do is so relative to engagement," he said. "The engagement of someone with something physical sitting in front of them is so much higher than on a website."

"There's a specific size where I think we can do any project that comes our way without having to hire outside vendors," he said. "I think that's about seven to eight people."

Reactor will kick off its 10-year celebration with a party Friday at its new Crossroads space. The firm expects a couple hundred guests to tour the space and feast on the crew's favorite meal — tacos catered by El Camino Real.

The event starts at 5 p.m., and Alexander said guests are welcome to stop by while in the area for October's First Friday event.